


« Je suis perdu sans toi »

by xslytherclawx



Series: JJ Style Week 2017 [2]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, First Meetings, JJStyleWeek, Jean-Jacques Leroy/Isabella Yang-centric, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-30 05:36:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11457069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xslytherclawx/pseuds/xslytherclawx
Summary: JJ is in Tim Hortons when he meets her for the first time.(For JJ Style Week 2017 – day two: favorite ship)





	« Je suis perdu sans toi »

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from a line in a Simple Plan song, "Jet Lag" [[video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxtfFoFwrmA)]. I use the French version, which I imagine these two also probably send each other whenever JJ's away at competitions.  
> (all it means is "I'm lost without you")

There were some figure skaters, JJ knew, who took private tutoring lessons, but JJ’s parents had insisted that he go to school with other kids his age. He didn’t go to a public school, though; his parents had registered him for a private Catholic school, which was just fine by him.

He was in grade eleven when it happened. He and his rink mate (and new best friend) Otabek Altin were taking a break one Saturday at Tim Hortons when he saw her.

She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. She had short hair that was such a dark brown that it was nearly black, and it contrasted with her blue-grey eyes and fair skin beautifully. She looked to be about his age, and

“ _Fuck,_ ” JJ hissed, squeezing his Iced Capp.

Otabek looked over at the girl and shrugged.

“Dude, do you _see her_?”

“So go talk to her,” Otabek said, sipping his peppermint tea.

JJ turned to look at him, wide-eyed. “Just _talk_ to her?”

Otabek sighed. “Do I have to do it for you?”

What? No; he wasn’t going to be the loser who had his friend ask someone out for him. “No, no,” JJ insisted. “I’ve got this.”

“You do,” Otabek agreed.

JJ said a quick silent prayer to St. Valentine and crossed himself, which he was sure made Otabek roll his eyes, and then stood up and went to approach the girl.

He tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned around. When she saw him, she smiled. “Hello,” she said.

“I, uh, hi. Hey,” JJ said, feeling like a fucking idiot. He glanced over at Otabek, who was giving him a thumbs up. He tried to center himself. He could do this. “Do you know what my shirt is made of? Boyfriend material,” he blurted out without thinking.

Fucking awesome.

He was about to slink back to the table by the window to drown his sorrows in a drink that he probably shouldn’t drink so frequently during the season, when she laughed. It was a beautiful, light laugh, and he didn’t seem to hear any malice in it. “Your delivery needs work. I’m Isabella.”

“Jean-Jacques. My friends call me JJ.”

Isabella smiled and dug into her bag. “Well, _JJ_ ,” she said, fishing out her phone, unlocking it, and handing it to him. “Why don’t you give me your number?”

It _worked_. He couldn’t believe it _worked_. He nodded enthusiastically and typed in his number.

She took her phone back and tapped a bit, and then he heard his phone ping. “Texted you. I need to get going, but let me know when you’re free.”

“Yeah, absolutely,” he agreed. “I’ll text you,”

She winked at him and he went back to Otabek.

“That looked like it went well.”

“Beks, you’re gonna be my best man.”

Otabek looked at him over his cup of tea. “What?”

“I’m going to marry that girl. And you’re gonna be my best man.”

“Whatever you say, JJ.”

* * *

JJ was luckier than he’d thought, because not only was Isabella a local, they went to the same school. JJ had been annoyed for a while that Otabek didn’t go to the same school as he did – the younger skater went to a public school – but Bella being at the same school, albeit in none of the same classes, more than made up for it.

Besides, Bella wasn’t a skater, and JJ got to see Otabek at practise almost every day, anyway.

At practise, JJ knew that he’d been talking about Bella too much to anyone who would listen. Otabek indulged him, although JJ could tell his friend didn’t particularly care about how soft Isabella’s lips were. One of the other skaters inevitably asked the question, “So how often do you two… you know?”

JJ furrowed his brows. “What?”

Otabek sighed. “He means how often do you and Isabella have sex, JJ.”

“Why would you ask that?”

The skater shrugged. “You’ve been together for three months, and you still never shut up about her. The sex must be great.”

“We’re not having sex,” JJ said, and he noticed that even Otabek raised his eyebrows. “I’m _Catholic_. Doing those kinds of things outside of marriage… it’s not very JJ style, is it?” He turned to Otabek. “You knew that, right, Beks?”

Otabek shook his head.

JJ felt himself deflate slightly. Was it really so strange?

Otabek, apparently, noticed his discomfort. “I think it’s… admirable, but… you need to take care not to internalise negative ideas of sex. If you believe it belongs within marriage, that’s one thing, but you shouldn’t conflate that with it being dirty or bad.”

“Lust is one of the seven deadly sins,” JJ said. “But… I don’t think I’ll have any problem once Bella and I are married.”

Otabek looked doubtful.

* * *

He and Isabella had been dating for three months. Three months. And while _he_ was sure that he was waiting until marriage, his conversation earlier in the week had reminded him that waiting _wasn’t_ what most people did.

So he knew, really, that he should talk to Isabella about it.

Luckily, they had a dinner date that Saturday night. And he was going to talk to her about it. He thought she’d be okay with it, but, really, they’d started dating during the skating season, and she’d accepted that he’d been busy.

She invited him over to her apartment to have a movie night. She’d said she’d wanted a low-key night in. He didn’t quite understand why, but he agreed easily enough. Besides, this conversation would be best to have in private.

He rung the buzzer, and she let him in. He’d brought her flowers, of course, especially since he was going to her apartment.

When she answered the door to her apartment, she was wearing a very tight, slinky black dress, and… a lot more makeup than he’d expected, if he were honest. He felt underdressed in his t-shirt and jeans.

“Hey, JJ,” she purred. JJ hadn’t known it was physically possible for a human to purr. “Come on in.”

He kissed her cheek and presented her with the flowers. “For the most gorgeous girl in the world.”

“Oh, JJ,” she cooed.

He went into the apartment, and she shut the door behind him.

“I made dinner,” she said. “Let me put these in a vase and we’ll eat.”

He’d been to Bella’s apartment a month before to meet her parents, but this felt… different, somehow. JJ followed her to the kitchen, where she trimmed the stems and put the flowers in a vase, and then again out to the dining room.

The table was set with romantic lighting.

“I thought we were watching a movie?” JJ said.

Isabella shrugged. “I thought I’d cook, too.”

“Okay,” JJ agreed. He pulled out her chair for her. After all, he was a gentleman. Once she was seated comfortably, he sat down himself. “So, uh, Bella.”

“JJ.” She batted her eyelashes at him.

“There’s something we should discuss.”

“Try the salmon,” she insisted.

He didn’t know anyone else his age who could cook salmon. This girl was a fucking _godsend_. He tried it; it was delicious. “Damn, Bella. That’s amazing!”

She blushed. “Thanks.” She took the decanter of wine – decanter of wine? How had he missed that? – from the table and poured them both a glass. “You were saying?”

“I love you,” he said. This was hardly the first time he’d said that to her, and he meant it even more every time, but she needed to know.

“I love you, too.”

“And… we’ve been dating for three months…”

“Yes…” she agreed.

“I think it’s time to tell you…” He took a sip of wine. Maybe it would help. He looked over to her; she was looking at him expectantly. “I’m Catholic.”

“So am I,” Isabella said. “We do go to a Catholic school, you know.”

“No, but I’m… _really_ Catholic.”

“Okay…” she said.

He took a deep breath. “Okay, there’s… no easy way to say this…”

“JJ, you’re not breaking up with me, are you?”

“Oh, god, no! Of course not!” he insisted. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “I _love you_.”

“Good,” Isabella said.

“It’s just that… I’m… _really_ Catholic.”

“You’ve said that already, JJ, babe.”

He ran his free hand through his hair. He had to tell her. He _had_ to. Relationships were supposed to be built on honesty and trust, and he was going to _marry her._  “I believe that marriage is a sacrament.”

“Yes…” Isabella said.

“And there are certain things that… should only be done within the sacrament of marriage.”

“Okay…”

He sighed. “I’m saving myself for marriage.”

Isabella put her wine glass down. “What?”

JJ nodded. “I’m not… I’m not having sex before I’m married.”

“Oh,” Isabella said.

“Bella, I _love you_ ,” he said, taking her other hand in his and looking deep into her eyes. “I’d like to marry you, someday. But I can’t… I’m not having sex until my wedding night.”

Isabella bit her lip. “Okay,” she said. “Just… so we’re clear. What do you consider sex?”

He frowned. “I’m… not really sure? I’d… whatever my family’s priest says, probably. But it’s not like we can’t kiss, or make out, or anything.”

“Just no orgasms.”

“Or naked makeouts. Or anything that could _lead_ to orgasms.”

Isabella hummed. “All right,” she said. “As long as you actually mean it. Cheating’s the only real dealbreaker for me.”

“I do mean it,” JJ swore. “And honestly, babe, I would never even think of cheating on you.”

Isabella smiled. She leaned in and kissed him. “Why don’t we eat so we can get to the movie?”

JJ nodded and let go of her hands. “So, uh,” he said, after he’d had a few more bites of salmon. “What was all this for?”

Isabella smiled. “Because I love you, of course. But I do want to change before the movie.”

He nodded. He didn’t see how her dress would be comfortable for cuddling up on the couch.

“I really do love you, JJ.”

JJ smiled at her, feeling considerably lighter.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm neither Canadian nor Catholic, so please feel free to catch any mistakes in those domains that you might see!


End file.
